Buckle



(No Model.)

B. H. DAY, Jr.

BUCKLE.

No. 438,912. Patented 00h21. 1890.

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A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. DAY, J R., OF VEST HOBOKEN, NEV JERSEY.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,912, dated October21, 1890.

Application filed May 3, 1890. Serial No. 350,487. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. DAY, Jr., of West Hoboken, in the countyof Hudson and State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and usefulImprovement in Buckles, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to what are known as lever-buckles for holdingstraps and other iiexible strips or fastenings, in which the strap orstrip is secured without damage, as by prongs entering perforations init, and the buckle is much more easily and quickly operated. In thesebuckles there is usually combined with the buckle-frame a hinged tongueor clamp adapted to pinch or hold by friction the engaging end orportion of the strap in between it and the buckle-frame.

My invention consists in a novel construction of the hinged tongue,which is made of spring metal and of corrugated or U shape at or back ofits clamping portion, that gives to it a spring-like structure,substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims,and whereby the hinged tongue readily adapts itself to differentthicknesses of straps and holds the strap with a spring-pressure, andprovision is made by simply lifting on the engaging portion of the strapfor speedily releasing the tongue from its bite or hold.

Reference is t-o be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specifition, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures. Figure l represents a view inperspective of a buckle embodying my invention, showing the same open;Fig. 2, a perspective view of said buckle closed and showing by dottedlines a strap as attached to and secured by the buckle. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a modified construction of the buckle in its openposition, and Fig. 4 a like view of the same in its closed position upona strap or tape.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, A indicates the buckle-frame, whichmay be of rectangular form and has a clear opening b, in direction ofits length and width,'through it. The one end or side of said frame isconstructed to form a pinch-bar c, and its opposite end is provided witha pivot or hinge pin d, to and round which the one end portion e of thestrap B may be secured, and which 'may also serve to carry theclamping-tongue C of the buckle. This tongue, which may also be of anopen frame-like construction to work snugly within the buckle-frame fromthe hinge or pivot pin d 'as a center of motion, is made of spring metaland has a transverse corrugat-ion or bend h in it-that is, transverse tothe length of the strap B through the buckle-said corrugation being ator back of the front or clamping portion of the tongue, whichwhenthebuckle is closed jams orclamps the strap in between it and apinch-bar portion c of the buckle-frame, a sufficient space being leftbetween said parts to permit of a close Iit of the engaging portion g ofthe strap. Thus when the tongue is raised or buckle opened the free endof the attached strap B may be passed through the space b in thebuckle-frame and drawn up over the pinchbar c any required distance,after which the hinged tongue is closed and made to jam or clamp inbetween it and the pinch-bar said free end or portion g of the strap, asshown in Fig. 2 and as customary in lever-buckles; but by making thetongue a spring one-that is, not only of spring metal, but withatransverse corrugation or bend in it at or back of its clamping portionto give it increased flexibility or elasticity-the tongue exerts such aspring pressure or hold by friction on the engaged portion of the strapas to allow of different thicknesses of straps or materials being usedin and securely held by the same buckle without fear 'of slipping.Furthermore, the spring-tongue is provided with a lip f projectingbeyond the corrugation in it, which lip when the buckle is closedengages the front or pinch-bar of the frame, thus not only stopping thetongue from going too far through the frame when the buckle is closed,but permitting of a ready release of the strap by lifting the loose endof it so as to bear on the under side of the lip, and whereby notonlyleverage is obtained for lifting theltongue, but the pressurebrought to bear upon-said lip exerts a tendency to spring together thewalls of the corrugation h, which eases the release of the tongue.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings the buckle is constructed to operate inlike manner and by similar means; but the free portion of the strap ormaterial to be clamped is run length- IOO Wise over or through thebuckle in parallel relation with the hinge d of the spring-tongue C,which latter is made with tWo or opposite side clamping portions intransverse relation With the hinge, so that When the tongue is closedthey clamp or pinch and hold the strap or material in between them andtwo adjacent pinch-bars c of the buckle-frame A. In this modification,too, the tongue C, made of spring metal, has a corrugation or bent parth at or back of each of the jamming or clamping portions of the tongue,thereby giving a spring pressure or hold and adapting the tongue, as inthe previous modification, to clamp or hold dierent thicknesses ofstraps or materials. The spring-tongue has also a lip f projectingbeyond each corrugation in it and engaging when the buckle is closedwith the pinch-bar c of the buckle frame or strap thereon, for the samepurposes as previously described with reference to Figs. l and 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, iS-'- l. In alever-buckle of the descriptionherein specified, the combination, with. the buckleframe having laninterior clamping-surface and adapted to receive the material to beclamped through it, of the hinged clamping tongue constructed With abent or corrugated spring clamping portionl arranged to enter downWithin said buckle-frame in contiguity to the clamping portion of theframe, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. In a lever-buckle of the description herein specified, thecombination, with the buckleframe, ot' the hinged clamping-tongueconstructed with a bent or corrugated spring clamping portion, as at h,having a lipf, arranged to engage with or extend over theclampingportion of the buckle-frame, essentially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

BENJAMIN II. DAY, JR.

Vitnesses:

EDW. M. CLARK, EDGAR TATE.

